A three-time Olympic champion wrestler, Buvaisar Saitiev, passed away at the age of 49, the Russian news agency, TASS, reported through Russian Wrestling Federation President Mikhail Mamiashvili on Sunday.

Saitiev died in Moscow. He is celebrated as one of the “greatest wrestlers” in the sport’s history.

He hailed from Dagestan and then relocated to Siberia for training before making his mark on the international stage, where he quickly became a formidable competitor.

He won his first Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games, which included a victory over American wrestling icon Kenny Monday.

Although Saitiev was rarely defeated, he did experience an unexpected loss to American wrestler Brandon Slay during the 2000 Olympics, which knocked him out of the competition.

Slay went on to win gold after his final match was later overturned due to his opponent’s positive steroid test.

Saitiev made a comeback at the 2004 Olympics, dominating his opponents with an impressive total score of 32-5, including a perfect 15-0 against his final two adversaries.

His last appearance at the Olympics was in 2008, where he once again showcased his dominance throughout the tournament.

Over a span of 13 years, during which he competed in the Olympics and World Championships a total of 11 times, Saitiev experienced only two losses while securing nine gold medals.

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In the wake of Saitiev’s passing, retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and current 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev both shared heartfelt tributes to him on Instagram.

“You inspired millions of children around the world and we will miss you,” Nurmagomedov wrote. “I express my sincere condolences to [your] family and loved ones.”

“A legend is gone. Condolences to all relatives and friends, we will miss you.”